Nightcap Hour 1: Unc, Ocho & Iso Joe react to Fields injury + Kyle Pitts joins the show to talk the 2025 Season!

22:51So things like that is big for us.

22:55Shannon Sharpe:Kyle, having played the position that you played, and I don't know if people understand this, but when you're injured, you are a move tight end. Line you up outside the numbers. They'll put you in motion. They'll put you in the slot. You'll line up top. They'll put you in the backfield. But when you're injured, it's hard. Man, I just want to get somewhere and just go. Because I can't do it. And you know what, like, my body just is not giving me what I want. But because the fans have seen what you're capable of, they don't understand that body. The mind is willing, but the body just ain't able right now.

23:34Yeah, I mean, obviously, everyone goes through injuries. Some people don't. But in my specific case, you know, having the knee and just different little small things. It's just a testament of what's going to happen this year, and I'm excited for what's going to happen and how we're growing as an offense and how we're going to take the next step. So we got some games. We're going to start week one with Tampa, divisional game, and go out there and try and get the first win and just keep building them and hopefully win our division and taking it step by step from there. I have one question. How much, I don't want to call it, I don't want to say power, but most of the time it's called power.

24:10To me, you know, when a player can go to an officer coordinator, can go to a head coach and ask to do more, are you healthy enough or is your body back in a state where you can ask Coach Robinson, listen, I need you to put me in different positions to be able to make plays because if you put me out here at receiver, it's a mismatch. You know, if you put me in motion, you know it's a mismatch. Is your body, is the knee at a point now where you can do a multitude of things offensively to open up the playbook and also for you? 100 % and just mentally being able to play faster. That's a big thing.

24:42When you hear the plays, be able to break the huddle and play fast. So definitely being the best asset to this offense is the goal because there's a bunch of playmakers on this offense. Drake, Bijan, Mooney, Ray Ray. I mean, we can spread everybody out and then you go nickel and then we're running it. We got Tyler. So we got the one, two punches and just being able to definitely take that load for sure.

25:04Shannon Sharpe:I like it. did you hear because of the injury because of some lack of production there was rumor swirling possibly Kyle Pitts might be on the move how did you stay in the moment how did you like I'm here right now if and when that were to arise that I'm somewhere else I'll deal with that then but how did you stay present in the moment because people say oh I don't think it's hard bro you talking about me you know hey unless there's another cow piz i don't know about but in the meantime you're talking about cow me i'm cow piz and i hear all of this going on how are you able to stay focused stay present and says you know what if it happens it happens but in the meantime i'm here i mean i'm i'm very much deep in my face so i know what god has planned for me but most important is like you know those people have a job and fans are fans for a reason they can't do what we do so they know they don't really know me.

25:59You know, I know the player I am, and I know the bumps and the bruises and the different things we've had to go through in these past couple years, but it's, you know, everybody has their time, and, you know, I feel like my moment's coming.

26:09Shannon Sharpe:Oh, yeah. Hey, Carey, y 'all open up here in Atlanta against Tampa? Yes, sir. Man, I'm going to have to come check y 'all out. Hey, Joe, let me go. Say less. Say less. Oh, what's up? What you trying to do? All right, all right, all right. We just get back home, Frank. Joe, you can't come to the game with us? That's crazy. He busy. He busy. He can't commit to that this early. He can't commit to that this early. Man, I... Hey, Kyle, I be there, man. Don't worry about it. Hey, Joe, I be there. Week one. Week one. We in Atlanta, man. Okay, y 'all heard it. Y 'all heard it. I'll make sure y 'all good.

26:48Y 'all in the house. Y 'all got everything set up.

26:51Shannon Sharpe:Man, I... Man, I heard that thing be rocking though, KP. I ain't gonna lie to you, not P. I heard it be rocking. The food be banging. I mean, and they got this, you get, what is it, a hot dog. I don't eat no glizzes, though. I got to come up with something else. But you get a pretzel, a big large soda, fries, and all the food is like, except alcohol is like all you can eat for like a certain price. We got one of the best owners in the business, Mr. Blank. Oh, yeah, Mr. Blank, yes. He's a great man, and he makes it affordable for everybody. And, you know, it's a great time. It's only one way to, you know, taste for yourself.

27:22You got to come see it. Yeah. You know, so I'm going to get you to the – You got to get to the bed.

27:28Shannon Sharpe:You got to get to the bed. Hey, hey, hey, hey, let me ask you this, though. This preseason count. Can I come to a preseason game? Nah, nah, nah. Nah, you don't even like sitting there watching preseason. Hey, hey. Nah, I'm going to be. Hey, Kyle, I got a question, right? Do you understand the seriousness, which I've just learned? And this is long after I'm done playing. You understand the seriousness between the Falcons and the Saints rivalry? at first i i didn't really you didn't see me too at first i did and i and i didn't really understand the hatred it's not like a dislike right it's a hatred yeah and it's like that's kind of like georgia versus florida you know that game it don't matter if you dinged up you find a way to get on that field you know that's that's the that's a robbery game it's going to be down to the last right you know and the saints is a great team and i feel like you know each year it's a fight.

28:24To be able to go down and Caesars Dome is loud too. Especially when we come into town. Vice versa when they come up here their fan base travels heavy and it's a very competitive game.

28:41Shannon Sharpe:Kyle, let me ask you this. When you look at it, where you started and now you see all these guys, they got the McBride that come in and they got the Hawkinsons and they got the Laportas and they got all these guys and don't simulate that. Whoa, whoa, whoa. What happened to, what happened to y 'all ain't, y 'all ain't talking about me no more. Y 'all, y 'all know I've been that boy. I've been him. I just been Nick Duck. So y 'all just go look over me. That's okay. That's all right. That's all right. You know, it's not too many people who have perfect careers, you know, so, so, you know, when I get back on the map, other things are doing, I got to do what I need to do first though.

29:19Shannon Sharpe:You said today that you're not paying attention to any outside noise. I don't read that rat poison. I don't get on Twitter, and I don't listen to the bots who can't come out here in 90-degree weather and come and do what I do. Expand on the rat poison, because that was Coach Saban's one of his favorite sayings. It's like that rat poison. You get a little praise or you get some negativity, and it festers. Yeah. It'll kill you. Yeah, even though I didn't go to Alabama, that was something that just watching him and I had a couple buddies go to Alabama, that was something that they would say that he's big on.

29:48So I never really, like I said, I don't read it because they can't come out there in the heat of the moment and hear a play call and game on the line, people screaming. You can't hear the snap count and go out there and perform. So it's like I don't really value that at all. And you guys know those athletes. They're on the sidelines for a reason. They just, you know, they're invested because they're betting now. You know, so it's like we know what it is to go out there, run across that middle fourth quarter, catch that ball, move the sticks. Right, right.

30:16Shannon Sharpe:the reports now I don't know if this is true but this is what's being reported that you're being used they see you more with the receiver group than with the tight end group

30:30Shannon Sharpe:that's what's being reported I don't know I ain't there like you said I can't do what you do Pierce no more I can't come out there 90 degrees not even with an umbrella and some jatorade I can't be out there me and Heat don't get along anymore Not no more. Not no more. But you had your day when it was your day. You had your two-a-days, you know. Luckily, we won't have those no more. We won't have those no more. But, yeah, it's going to be – it's a plan. Follow behind Coach Morris and, you know, what Raheem and, you know, of course, Z-Rob has definitely put together for me for this camp and just entering this year.

31:05It's big on just, you know, like I said, buying in and, you know, trusting what they have. And, you know, it's – I would say hybrid. Won't say, you know, a specific position. You definitely want to be high for this. The more you can do it, the better you are. I love it. I love it. Listen, I'm predicting. I can do this. You ain't got to say nothing. I'm predicting 1 ,390. I'm telling you what it's going to look like this year. So what's the prize? We'll talk about that. Yeah, we'll talk about that. Just call me. I got you. I got you.

31:42Shannon Sharpe:I'm going to put you on the spot. I'm going to put you on the spot. Give me your top five tight ends of all time. You studied position. You played the position. Hey, keep it a stack. Keep it a stack. If I ain't in the top five, I'm cool with that. I'm cool. Like you said, I'd have had my time. There was a time I was in the top five, if I'm not now, but I was. Well, 100%. No, I never get into specific numbers because, you know, everybody will be like, oh, you're missing this person. It's really just who you kind of model your game after. So, like, my final rap in no specific order would be definitely you, Tony G, Mike Dick, who was the start.

32:19Before, I would say Jason Winton is someone who I feel like in high school when I really started to learn about the tight end position. And, you know, he wasn't maybe, like, the fastest, but he knew how to beat you mentally. Because I learned that from a guy named Lee Smith, who, you know, he may be older, but they'll beat you to the spot. But, yeah, Tony G, you, Mike Dicker, Jason, and I'm going to have to go give Travis his followers. He's the best doing it right now. He's the best doing it. Between him and Georgia, one A, one B right now. They definitely setting the precedent for how to play the position and how to win at that position.

32:58So, it's definitely love watching them on film.

33:00Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, watching you play, you kind of remind me of myself. The speed guy, we did a lot of our damage outside and in the slot. I ain't really trying to bang like that, but I had to block a little bit more than you had to block. But I think Gates, you moved – Gates wasn't that fast. Yeah. But, man, Gates knew how to get open and catch touchdowns. I'm like, how does mofo get any touchdowns like this? That's what I couldn't understand. Smart, and that's what I'm saying. I'm like, you know, me putting Witten in my top five, I really had Gates see him in my top five because that's who really – You know, him in L.A.

33:32when he's playing with, you know, Dane Thompson. So that was what he was watching when I was getting into it, watching, you know, different tight ends.

33:39Shannon Sharpe:I was like, man, how did he score all these touchdowns? How? This man got 117, 118 touchdowns for a tight end. That's unheard of. Y 'all going to have to get on the ball. Because that break is going to be that long time if somebody don't get on the ball. You don't think nobody going to get that under where they're throwing that ball now? tight ends don't score like that man that's a good thing I feel like yes you had you you had you some games in the red zone you had you some string of games where you 10 plus sure but here's the thing he had LT I mean he went LT went 3 years LT had 69 touchdowns in 3 years do you yes Yes.

34:27Shannon Sharpe:And so for a tight end, there have only been two tight ends that have over 100 TDs in a career. That's a Gonzo and Gates. So in 100-plus-year history, 105, 106-year history, there are only two tight ends to put up those kind of numbers. And Les Harkinson and Laporte and McBride and Kittle, you get on the ball, man, it's hard to score down there because like you said, he could score. I was a guy that get yards. You know, I lead the game with 150, 160 yards with no touchdowns. Man, that joke will have like 88 yards with three touchdowns. Right. Right. Sometimes it go that way. Yeah, you got to think.

35:12You got to remember Antonio Gay's skill set too now. They get down to that goal line. They get him out there wide. That basketball background coming to play. Man, listen, his lateral movement, he moved in short areas. his releases is like a damn receiver. Hey, how long?

35:27Shannon Sharpe:What was his career length? How long did he play, y 'all? I think he played 16. I think he got 16 or 17 bits. I think he got 16. Yeah, I think it was 16 because my coach, Tim Brewster, he used to show me all his tape when I was coming out. Yeah. That was somebody who I threw. I think Brewster was in Denver, too. Mm-hmm. Yep. Okay. Yeah. 100%. Yeah. was Wade Harmon there when you got there who was your position coach when you first got there his name was Justin Peel okay Justin Peel that name sound familiar I think he played yeah he played here in Atlanta okay okay okay yeah I thought that name sound familiar you're 100 % healthy you're raring to go Ocho tried to put some numbers on you what is health the precursor because I know you look I don't want to put you on the spot and say, okay, give us a stat total where you say 100 and 1 ,200 yards and this.

36:26Shannon Sharpe:Health is the precursor, and then everything else will fall into place after that. Is that how you're approaching it? Not at all. You know, once I got back to, you know, last year and this offseason feeling great, that's the last thing in my mind. Now it's just, like I say, playing fast mentally, physically, being able to get to my spot and, you know, being the best asset for Mike. So when I do get my opportunities in first, you know, first, second down, third down, ball come my way, we move in a chain. We're getting yacked. That's the big thing, Jack. And, you know, putting that shoulder down, get across that goal line, move the chains, you know, be more valuable for this offense.

36:59Yeah, yeah, Uncle, you heard that. Rise up. Yeah, yeah.

37:05Shannon Sharpe:It's an experience in that thing. You got to go check them Falcons out, baby. Yeah, so week one, we there in Tampa. I mean, in Atlanta. Bro, do you understand how hard it is, Joe, like when you're trying to evaluate, like what we do, We're gonna have to talk about the game. So how are we gonna talk about the game that we don't watch on television if we had the Falcons game? Use the phone. You got Twitter? NFL Red Zone, you can put all the games on your phone. Bro, see that's the thing though, see? So how you watching the Falcons game if you looking at your phone? We can just look at the tidbits.

37:38Shannon Sharpe:Look at the tidbits. We'll be all right. See, I see where I'm coming from. I see where he coming from. Nah, nah, he just trying to get out of going to the game with us. What he doing? He's going to sneak into one of these games One of these games I'm going to have to call I'm going to have to call Mr. Blank I'm going to have to go through the private We'll make it work We'll make it work I'm pretty sure he'll have accommodations Kyle man thanks for joining us man We appreciate it Stay healthy This is the year you got to stay healthy Because you know this is your fifth year You know what the fifth year means What comes after the fifth year Hey, Kittle got 19 million.

38:21Shannon Sharpe:Hey, you could be the first 20 million dollar guy. Make it 22. I like that. I'm just saying, the first guy, the first with a two in front of it for a tight end, more than I made in my whole career. Damn. Keep your head down. Keep working, baby. Chopping wood. Let's go. Yes, sir. Brick by brick, baby. Hey, congratulations, man. Continue success. Stay healthy, man, and come back and join us. After that first 200-yard game, come back and join us and talk to us. Tell us about it. I got you. I'm going to hold you to that. All right, Ben. All right. I appreciate it, y 'all. For the Atlanta Falcons, guys.

39:00Shannon Sharpe:Thanks for joining us, Kyle. All right.

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41:55Shannon Sharpe:There was some football injuries today, guys. Justin Fields was carted off the field. during Jets training camp. The official Jets account put an update saying, after a medical evaluation, Justin Fields sustained a dislocated toe in his right foot and will be day-to-day. Fields avoided serious injury and significant missed times. Damn. Hold on, Unc. A dislocated toe, how much time is that? About two weeks? It all depends. You know that's on his right foot. That's the plant you throw off of. That's the plant for two. Yeah, that's the one that you stop. Yeah. And it beats away. You don't know how much you need that big toe boy until you hurt it.

42:33Shannon Sharpe:Until you hurt it, right? Oh, stub it. Hey, in the middle of the night when you go out to the bathroom, you kick that bedpost on, Joe. Or you stub that thing going to the bathroom. Hey, that pinky toe. You hit the corner of the wall or the corner of the bed. Yeah. Man, listen. Hold on, hold on. I got a turk toe. When I was playing in Brooklyn, we played against Toronto. It was a game seven. We ended up winning the game seven, but I got it. I caught the turf toe in like third quarter. So the next series, man, I had to get shot in my big toe before every game, man. I'm talking about the worst pain ever.

43:09Shannon Sharpe:Oh, my God. My brother had that same injury, Joe. He had a good shot up. He didn't practice. All he did, he hurt it in the preseason. He shot it up, and then he ended up having to have surgery after the season. Yeah. Yep. So, hey, that toe ain't nothing to play with. I had an uncle and he pulled wood and he ended up cutting his big toe off. Man, that joke will walk. He actually cut like three of his toes off.

43:39Shannon Sharpe:He went through. He was cutting the wood on Joe and went through and went right. Toes on the ground. When you cut wood, you supposed to have on steel toe boots? bro that's a change bro you think I'm sure I don't know if you ever see the pulpwood up close and I think he had a bow blade you know what a bow blade is right I don't know what that is okay you got a straight blade and then you have the bow blade so he had that big bow blade the round one yeah yeah yeah yeah that's called a bow blade and so I don't know if they still do it because now I see when I watch IG and I see they got these machines, they got the machines that are cutting down the tree.

44:34Shannon Sharpe:But they didn't have that when I was growing up as a kid. They had seven, eight, nine guys out there with them long blades and them bow blades cutting down the trees. So it was big difference back then, Ocho, than what it is now. But yeah, man, you got to be careful. You got to watch. You got to cut down the tree and the tree fall on your head. Hey, man, you get hurt out there. Hey, that's some dangerous work out there. But yeah, Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, not Justin Fields. It seems like, damn, they can't catch him. Yeah. And listen, at least the extent of the injury is not that drastic where he's going to miss the whole season.

45:12Obviously, I'm not sure what the length of time is for a dislocated toe. The backup is. It all depends. What do you call him? Kyle Taylor. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't think they're going to miss a beat offensively, but having Justin Fields there to get those reps in with the stars.

45:31Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, he needs reps. He needs work. And with that type of injury, I know it lingers. It ain't just going to go away. Yeah. And it all depends on what toe it is. What toe is dislocated? Is it a big toe? Is it one of the middle toes? Because a lot of times when you have turf toe, Ocho, they put that steel plate because they don't want it to bend. So, you know, because they don't want you to get that flexion up and on the toe. So it's going to be very, very interesting. I wish him a speedy recovery. I just want a young fellow to be able to play fast, stay healthy, be somewhere they believe in him.

46:07Shannon Sharpe:I don't know how good an offensive line that they're going to have at the Jets, but I know that he relished this opportunity because now he thought he was going to Pittsburgh and then they end up signing Russell Wilson and he gets off into a 4-2 start. and then they insert Russell. And so he's like, well, damn, what do I got to do? What do I got to do? Damn, man. But go ahead. No, I was just saying that that sucks. It sucks for the Jets fans. It sucks for the Jets organization as they continue to try and find and hit that stride at the quarterback position. Like, it's always something. It's always something.

46:38Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. A.G. said he suspected Fields was hurt when his foot was stepped on by a teammate, but that he needed to see the film. And a lot of times, don't you? You know, you get stepped on. the quarterback gets stepped on trying to get out there a guard or the center step back he gets pushed back he's trying to brace himself he steps on the uh the quarterback foot and then you know things like that happen but uh the jets fans will be very very very very very very disappointed if like bro he got hurt by his own teammate and we ain't even get to the game yet practice practice at that yes I broke my eye socket my teammate did that I'm like damn if I get you Ocho you know you blocking you get rolled up keep them feet moving you gotta stay moving Joe that was the thing I tell the running back okay since you want to run up my back don't worry about it it seems like every player in football risky Oh, it absolutely is.

47:43Shannon Sharpe:Every single one. You know what? That's probably some of the words that I see when I be seeing guys blocking and people be falling on them and they don't know. Damn. Yep. Yep. The best thing you do, especially for linemen, linemen is hard for them to keep their feet moving, but when people fall on top of you, just let your body go. Don't fight it. Just let your body go and fall with everything. But a lot of times you see guys, they can't because they're getting held up on your, sometimes you block it and then somebody rolls in your back. They hold you up. Yeah, you're right. Ain't nothing you could do, but you're right.

48:20Shannon Sharpe:That's the thing is to try to let your body go limp and to take some of that energy out of it, but man. But I sure hope Justin Fields get healthy soon. Ocho, you're not going to believe this one. Raiders are releasing DT Kristen Wilkins with the designation of terminated, bested veteran. The reporters, the Raiders reportedly voided the remaining$35.2 million guaranteed money left on Wilkins' contract last month due to how he treated the rehab from the foot injury he suffered last season. Raiders released a statement and it reads as such, We have decided that it is in the best interest of the organization to move on from Christian Wilkins and he has been informed of his relief from the team.

49:07Shannon Sharpe:This franchise has a commitment to excellence on and off the field with no clear path or plan for the future return to play from Christian. This transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for a new season. Well, you know what? That lets me know there's language in the contract somewhere because they just said they voided keyword guaranteed. the fact that they can get void guaranteed money means there's language in the contract somewhere that says if you do not do x y and z then legally we can take your money back to you even though it's said guaranteed check this out the nflpa has 50 days to file a grievance on christian wilkins after the raiders aborted 35.25 million worth of guaranteed money in his contract on june 4th $8 million for this year,$27.25 for the next year.

50:03Shannon Sharpe:The grievance was filed this morning. A legal battle. They retired. Yeah, what did he do wrong? What you think he did wrong? The same thing. I guess he wasn't there rehabbing, or they said he wasn't taking the rehab. Hold on. Let me go back and see what they said. He's been in full on. it said uh last month due to how he treated the rehab from the foot injury he suffered remember the cowboys took 500 000 from trayvon diggs why because of how he treated the rehab they said he wasn't there enough they didn't feel he was taking it serious enough i think remember ocho also the milwaukee bucks what did dame want to do he wanted to train in portland to be close to his family.

50:53Shannon Sharpe:They didn't want a job with that, and they didn't want to get into it. They said the best thing for us to do is to just move forward. Now, it seems like the Raiders are trying to extract, get that, hey, we don't want to pay that. We ain't trying to pay 35 million. I see what the team is doing, and I understand. I see their side is, okay, you're hurt, you're injured. We want to be able to track how far along you are. We want to see where you are. To make sure. Make sure not listen, they rehabbing no matter what they don't do that because they do. They want to play football, but they just want to be on top of how it's going.

51:27Who's doing it? What's being done to make sure that you're doing everything you can to get yourself back on the field in a timely manner. That's the only reason they're doing this. Only reason Trayvon Diggs was fine because we can't see it. We don't know exactly what you're doing. You can say you're doing it, which we know you are. But it's not to our satisfaction because it ain't coming from us.

51:47Shannon Sharpe:I don't know how y 'all do it but you know this I invest some money so I got stock in this this and this you know what them people do Ocho here's your tracker you can track it also if you just tracking it and I don't track it you can tell me anything but I can see why you buy some more of that who told you to sell that if you're not there because you got to realize it. These guys are investments to these teams, Ocho. Like you think about it. What was his game? So guaranteed, he got like 80 something million guaranteed, Ocho. You don't think these people are going to watch out for their investment to make sure they're trying to get a return on their money?

52:33Shannon Sharpe:That's the whole purpose of an investment is that I'm trying to get a return on that investment. Bro, look, like I said, I don't really know. I mean, look, this is what the Raiders are saying. I'm sure if you were to talk to Christian Wilkins and his representative, they'll tell you something different. But I do understand. But these teams, I remember in the Super Bowl, I tore my MCL. And it was a grade two, grade three string. Ocho, I stayed, once we got back, I stayed there for like five weeks after the season. You don't think I wanted to go home? I could admit. But I stayed there, got that thing like 80%, 90%.

53:19Shannon Sharpe:Greek says, hey, the athletic trainer, Steve Antonopoulos, we call him Greek. He's a sharper. You can go home, but I'm going to need to see you in a month to make sure this thing is fully healthy. No problem. No problem. And I damn sure, boy, look here. Y 'all guarantee me how much? 84 million? I'm staying there with you. I'm going to get that thing 1 ,000 % on their dime. Absolutely. You know how them young bulls are on? You know how them young bulls are on? Hey, Joe, I'm getting all that. I'm getting all that money. When the season's over, them boys trying to get out of their own. They trying to get up out of their own.

53:51I think in Dame's case, though, with him knowing he going to miss the whole season,

53:55Shannon Sharpe:Uncle Ocho, I think, you know, probably just put him in a better headspace being around his family, which I kind of understood. I don't feel like he's a guy who's going to shortchange you. But, you know, I get it. Maybe they want to already get rid of him anyway because of he – you know what I mean? So they did. because you know what, Joe? Dame never wanted to be there in the first place. Dame wanted to – see, first of all, Dame let the fans and this ring culture force him out of Portland. He never wanted to leave Portland, but he felt in order to appease a lot of people that kept putting pressure on him, he needed to go somewhere.

54:32Shannon Sharpe:Man, Steph done played for a championship. Luka done played for a championship. This one done played for a championship. Dame ain't ever been close to playing for a championship. They got him up out of there, but he went to a place. That ain't where he wanted to go. He said he wanted to go to Miami. Well, Miami didn't offer the package that Minnesota offered. Excuse me. Milwaukee offered. So they ended up. I'm trying to get the best deal, Ocho. I understand. You're my boy, Ocho. Hey, I'm going to do everything I possibly can. But you know, Ocho, where you want to go ain't offering me what this place over here.

55:07Shannon Sharpe:Right. So you might have to do a Kawhi. You might have to do a detour. You might have to go somewhere for a year and let them move you. But I got to take the highest price. And for them, Joe, let me know what you think. It seems to me when somebody take the steps that Milwaukee took, it seems like to me, now maybe I'm exaggerating, but I think they were over Dane. They realized that this thing wasn't going to work. Ocho, that's$111 million. It's just for me, I think they were thinking like the injuries. I mean, he's pretty much been injured over there every year. so they could never get full potential into what they could be.

55:42Shannon Sharpe:I'm going to be honest with y 'all. I was excited about him going to Milwaukee. I know he didn't want to go there, but I just thought him and Giannis would bring a different element to the Eastern Conference that a lot of these teams wouldn't be able to match. And the fact that he had to deal with these injuries the past two years, man, I just feel like they was like, well, you know, our time is up on that. You know what I mean? Yeah. He was injured. Giannis was injured his first year. Then he got, then he, you know, kind of nicked. He was licked early. and now they say, you know what? Instead of trying to let this thing play out, let's go ahead and cut the cord.

56:15Shannon Sharpe:Because sometimes, Ocho, people are like, well, maybe we can salvage it. Nah, bro, you burnt this. Let's not peel these burnt edges away and try to eat the insides. Nah, bro, just go ahead and throw this whole issue in the trash and move on and let's try to get another dish going. Because that's what happened. They were like, we're not trying to salvage this. We already know what it is. and it's a situation where I'm sure Giannis is frustrated because Giannis said like these superstars they keep their foot on these teams neck because I want to compete for a championship every single year. It's unfortunate.

56:52It's funny how they do. They don't see value in you anymore once you get hurt.

56:58Shannon Sharpe:You've been that. Well I don't know if you've ever been that but Joe you've been that. I've been injured. They don't even talk to you. You get hurt Man, they don't even talk to you. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Until you getting close to getting back, how you feeling? You ready? You ain't scared, are you? Bro, the last three weeks, you ain't said a damn word to me. Now, all of a sudden, I'm a couple of days away from returning. Now you asking me how I'm feeling. You should have asked me that three weeks ago. Hey, it's lonely being hurt. I ain't going to lie to you. It's lonely being hurt, boy. Yes!

57:31Shannon Sharpe:Man, that's the worst. man I broke my collarbone man I should have had this thing replaced it I mean it cut my dog broke out of the skin and so there's like it's gonna be like it's gonna be like that was week that was week before I broke it so they say it's gonna be like 8 to 10 weeks so Ojo you know I'm saying I go and like week 6 I'm you know I'm running on the treadmill man I try to open up crack I'm like, what? Put all the scar tissue loose. Now I'm going for the rest of the year. You got it on that way then, y 'all. I tried to rush back out. Uh-oh, guys. Babe, you know I had to say, I said, but you know I feel, oh, Joe, you know I feel really good.

58:19Shannon Sharpe:You know I'm thinking of that. I said, let me open this bag. Let me open it up. Oh, Joe, I got geeked, Joe. I was feeling good too. I best ride it like, crack! Damn. I hit that button.

58:38Shannon Sharpe:Then I got that out of that, hey. As a matter of fact, they knew it was bad cause they sent me to New York. I saw the Giants team doctor. He said, yeah, you tore the scar tissue, the cartilage you loose from there. He said, that's a six weeks injury. That's Ralph O'Shea.

59:02Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, I let them gas me up. They gas me up. Hey, I'm trying to get back too fast.

59:11Shannon Sharpe:Check this out. There is a video that is surfaced today of Wilkins dancing in the Raiders facility to Backstreet Boys just a few days ago. Check out this video, guys. Oh, he already knew what was going on.

59:29Shannon Sharpe:a lot of times all they want to do is get your video joe oh joe i don't know if y 'all did this but i i can explain something a lot of times guys are like man i'm hurt i'm hurt i mean i can't go out there and they say look we just want you to go out there just do a couple of walkthroughs they put them pads on they go out there and they do the walk through and when they come back in there they get that little tap on the shoulder they want to see upstairs they already got you on film oh okay okay they got your own film now i ain't telling what somebody told you i'm telling what i know hey hey that's all they want to see hey you going through the a let's see you upstairs hey so hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on camp now started right his his homie unknowingly incriminating him by posting it on instagram not knowing that they going through something already and they used that video against him and they got him out of there.

1:00:28There are

1:00:29Shannon Sharpe:reports, this is reports, we don't know if it's true or not, saying that Wilkins refused surgery when the team recommended it. Ocho, you remember the Michael Thomas situation? He had all offseason and this man had surgery in June. The situation with Wilkins and Vegas has been simmering for months as both sides disagreed on how the foot injury and recovery should be handled. Christian Wilkins made$29 million last year and had already$25.5 million already this year. That's$50 million,$49.7 million. Hold on. He trying to get out of there? He trying to get out of there, Ocho? So he was going to make$7 million, which would have pushed the total to 50, basically about 57 million with another 27.5 do.

1:01:28Shannon Sharpe:Therefore it lies 84.5 million guaranteed. Hey, y 'all want me to have surgery? Okay. Now when I can't come back and play, remember y 'all recommend. What surgery are you supposed to have? Someone. Yeah. I think he had a Liz Frank. I think he had a foot injury. Hey, if you have a lift, Frank, do you actually need surgery or is it optional? Sometimes they recommend it. But at the end, look, Ocho, remember how I told you, if I'm going to get hurt, I'm going to get hurt on team time. If I'm going to have surgery, I'm going to have it on your time. So if it goes awry, remember what you said, right?

1:02:13Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

1:02:16Shannon Sharpe:Damn. I mean, he could go, okay I got a doctor your doctor says this, okay, let's go get an independent doctor because my doctor is going to look out for the best interest of me your doctor is going to look out for the best interest of the team let's go get somebody that ain't got no dog in the fight let's go to Anderson up in Charlotte let's go to get somebody at the Curlin Joe Clinic out here let's go see the Andrew A I ain't got another time I'm going to go see James Andrews I'm going to go see Stedman Hawkins I'm going to go see Dr. Anderson up in Charlotte I'm going to go see Watkins I'm going to go see five or six doctors what is the best treatment for this okay y 'all here's the x-rays this is what's going on what is the best course of action do I let this heal on its own will it heal on its own or do I need to have surgeons have this thing fixed what do you guys recommend okay I got seven eight different opinions six of them says have surgery nah six of them says let it heal two has surgery man listen you know your body you know your body than everybody else he felt he didn't need surgery obviously but with training camp starting he has a jones fracture let me take that back I said Liz Frank he has a jones fracture oh well that hey um that needs surgery there, baby.

1:03:42You heard me?

1:03:43Shannon Sharpe:I think he had already had surgery. Hey, hold on. What's the Jones? What's the Jones? What is that, Unc?

1:03:50Shannon Sharpe:Oh, Joe, y 'all got to break that down for you, boy. Hey, but listen. Don't get me the line, boy. I ain't never been hurt, so I know Jones. A Jones fracture, also known as the fifth metatarsal fracture, is a break in the bone that connects the pinky toe to the foot base. so the pinky toe the little bone that's right here you need that boy yeah hold on hey I would have got there it is right there yeah yeah I would have got that done right away boy oh Joe and that's not a small man oh no that's a large man you gotta think about it That's a large man on that. And he's quick. He's agile. His whole thing is playing with quickness.

1:04:43Shannon Sharpe:I wonder why he won. He had surgery last October, but the rehab didn't work, and he needed surgery again per team. I don't even got it. I don't even got that. Play no game. You got that, Sergio Ocho? Ocho, I got it. Ocho, Ocho, this is not like I'm in a contract here. I got$84 million guaranteed. And I'm in Las Vegas. with no state income tax. I guarantee you get picked up. I can tell you where you gonna go to. Where you going, Ocho? Over there with a star on their helmet. Because it's not a loan, it's a need. But here's the thing, Ocho. If he's not healthy, can he pass a physical? I understand the game he playing.

1:05:26He trying to pull the wool over their eyes, Ocho? Man, listen. Man, listen. he might you never know how a player feel if you if you're saying one thing and they trying to force you to do something else and it basically got the player feeling like well damn you really don't care about me you just want me to get out there on the field Ocho no Ocho they telling him to have surgery no but he's trying to do it his way without without having to have the surgery I already won I'm not going back under the knife again I'm gonna wait till the heel on his own then when I feel I'm healthy enough I'm going to get on the field that's the only that's the only thing it could be

1:06:07Shannon Sharpe:but you can't be dancing in the locker room you can't be dancing in the training room you know they can't I don't know how Cincinnati do it Joe I don't know how they do it but in Denver we had cameras everywhere the meeting room big meeting room small meeting room training room Yeah, that was Somebody posted that though Oh, they got cameras in there too And I'm being Ocho Why? Why are you dancing? It's like If you injured Ocho, you know this Joe, you know this If you injured If they found If you injured And you out Boy, they gonna act They gonna act a fool It's like you injured And you out Man, you know Bro, there's certain things you have to do.

1:06:59Shannon Sharpe:And people that's not in this profession don't understand. When I got a life outside of this, bro. No, you don't. They're paying this man$84 million, fully guaranteed. They pay you X amount of dollars. Bro, if you injured, you can't be going out to the club. It's really that simple. It's hard to go out in a city with a sports franchise. It's hard to do any damn thing. Yes!

1:07:30Shannon Sharpe:It used to be before I got there, like a couple of years before I got there, the Broncos used to stay at home the night before the game. But after a couple of DUIs, a couple of people getting invites, they said, take y 'all ass to the hotel. And so, and now, Ocho, you know if somebody is out before the night before the game before the game the night before the game or if you injured let's just say for the sake of argument Ocho you Ocho you ain't playing in three weeks cause you injured but you out you know somebody posted that Ocho Joe you know somebody gonna post that this is why the Bengals can't win no game this is why Ocho can't get back on the field look at him out here at the club Now, Mike Brown is going to feel something.

1:08:23Shannon Sharpe:Hold on, though. On game days, even if you're at home, they still ask you to stay at a hotel? Yeah, you stay at a hotel night before the game. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Man, if you didn't, Joe, we had guys go get drunk. Hey, okay. I dig it. Ah, hey, Joe, man, look here, man. We had some guys come in on Saturday morning. Bro, hit the shower, man. Just go on and get in the shower, man. You got to sweat some of that. You got to get that up out you, man. Because, I mean, you smell like a liquor steal. I mean, did you, like, take a bath in vodka, gin? I mean, damn. We used to take a hotel. They used to take some of them cash mini bars They wouldn't even have liquor in their minibars.

1:09:21Shannon Sharpe:I'm serious. Yeah, man. Hey, people don't get it. Yeah, I know. My teammates be coming to my room. Hey, let me get something out of your minibar. Let me get something out of your minibar. No, because people are going to think, I'm drinking out of the minibar. No, hell no. And you know they got the minibars now, Joey. Pick it up. If you touch it, if you don't put that thing back in like 30 seconds, They charge you. They going to get there. Get out of here. Hey, I put that little thing on my door. I open the door right there. Hey, what you want? Because you know. Come on, Sharp, man. No, no, come on, Sharp.

1:10:01Shannon Sharpe:Ain't no come on, Sharp, man. Nope. Oh, man. But look, I hate this situation. I really do. because I mean Wilkins is a phenomenal player he's gone to the Pro Bowl quick he's agile he can rush the passer he can stop the run I mean he's a very very good defensive lineman and for it to come like this see this this is why they hate to get guaranteed money you see because now they'll take one situation like this and try to put it on the other four. And use that as the poster reason on why we don't do it. Yeah, but listen, there's more to the story. Obviously, we're here. Oh, yeah, for sure. We only know one side.

1:10:53We don't know his side. I'm sure his side is valid. He has a reason for doing what he was doing. And it's unfortunate it's come to this. He's going to land somewhere because there's too much of a talent at the position. And the defensive tackle, that can be used and use his service somewhere.

1:11:11Shannon Sharpe:I'm getting healthy, but I'm going to get my money back. I'm going to get my money back. You think you don't want any grievance? I don't know. He might not get it. I mean, he might. Look, without. I mean, a guarantee is a guarantee. And see, that's the problem that you run into, Ocho. You see? Now, they ain't just trying to take the guarantee back this year. They're trying to take back all the money. Why he wouldn't just have a surgery, though? And they still was going to pay him? I don't get it.

1:11:44Shannon Sharpe:he had made just a little less than$50 million for five games. There's a good chance that he has the surgery again. He going to miss this year. So he had another 27 million this year. So basically like 30, 37, 34 and a half million dollars on top of the money that he got. Matter of fact, not because if you only played five games, right? and they done paid him that much already and you ain't had surgery in the whole off season and now be going into camp and you might this season again too if you don't get surgery shit they're probably man to hell with this shit right cause they looked at he had surgery in October so they probably saw this thing around what say like March April and it wasn't healing properly so they say hey let's let's go ahead and get that and he's like Nah, because remember, Michael Thomas had that injury.

1:12:42Shannon Sharpe:And that was my question, don't you? Bro, you had the whole offseason, so you got done. So you had end of January, February, March, April, May. You don't get the surgery until June? And you go into camp in July? And you don't understand why the Saints are upset? Yeah. Damn. I'm confused. But hey, hopefully they get it resolved.

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